EVANSTON, Ill. — It's good to be home.
After four-straight games on the road to open the season, the 11th-ranked Northwestern lacrosse program opened Lanny and Sharon Martin Stadium Tuesday afternoon with a victory over Marquette , 17-11.
Sophomore Corinne Wessels led the charge with a career-high four goals and one assists, while senior Kaleigh Craig and sophomore Selena Lasota both tallied hat tricks. A total of eight Wildcats contributed to the season-high 17 goals, including a season-high two goals by junior Danita Stroup and the first career goal by freshman Leighton Yenor.
While the offense was rolling, Chicago's Big Ten Team was forcing turnovers left and right. The Golden Eagles (2-5) had 23 turnovers in the game, 11 of which were caused by the 'Cats. Sophomore Lindsay Darrell led the way with a pair of caused turnovers.
Marquette tallied the first goal of the game, but their lead was short lived as the 'Cats scored five unanswered to take a 5-1 lead with 16:41 to play in the first half. Junior captain started the scoring to even the game and ended up with a pair of assists to Stroup and Lasota during the run. After the Golden Eagles scored a pair of goals to cut the lead to 5-3 later in the half, Wessels assisted on a goal by classmate Shelby Fredericks and closed the half with her first two goals of the season to give NU a 9-5 lead at the break.
Despite the halftime lead, the Wildcats trailed the draw-control battle, 11-4. Fredericks was able to turn things around in the second half however in helping the 'Cats claim a 14-1 advantage in the final 30 minutes and an 18-12 advantage overall. The sophomore finished the game with nine draw controls to match her career high.
Stroup's second goal of the contest extended the lead back to four, 10-6, after the Golden Eagles opened the second half with a tally from Allison Lane. Marquette was able to cut into the Wildcats' lead with a pair of unanswered goals, but junior Catie Ingrilli found the back of the net for the third time this season and Lasota scored her second of the game to again extend the lead to four, 12-8, with 13:04 to play.
After a Marquette again cut the lead to two on back-to-back goals by Cate Soccodato and Taylor Smith, NU quickly squashed any ideas of a comeback. Craig capped her hat trick and sparked the 'Cats' second 5-0 run of the day just 19 seconds after Smith cut the deficit to two.
Wessels followed with her third goal of the game and Yenor came on the field and scored on the first possession of her career on a dish from Fredericks. Craig dished out her third assist of the game on Wessels' fourth goal and Lasota scored just 11 seconds later to cap the run and give NU a 17-10 lead.
Senior Emily Eichner had a big day on the defensive end with a career-high five ground balls classmate Spring Sanders chipped in with three groundballs and a caused turnover.
Northwestern, which entered the game just 8-for-23 on free-position opportunities through the first four games, went 7-for-12 from the 8-meter line. Wessels was 2-for-2 on the day and Craig finished 2-for-3.
The Wildcats continue their four-game homestand at Lanny and Sharon Martin Stadium on Saturday when they host No. 10 Stony Brook. Opening draw is scheduled for noon.
After four-straight games on the road to open the season, the 11th-ranked Northwestern lacrosse program opened Lanny and Sharon Martin Stadium Tuesday afternoon with a victory over Marquette , 17-11.
Sophomore Corinne Wessels led the charge with a career-high four goals and one assists, while senior Kaleigh Craig and sophomore Selena Lasota both tallied hat tricks. A total of eight Wildcats contributed to the season-high 17 goals, including a season-high two goals by junior Danita Stroup and the first career goal by freshman Leighton Yenor.
While the offense was rolling, Chicago's Big Ten Team was forcing turnovers left and right. The Golden Eagles (2-5) had 23 turnovers in the game, 11 of which were caused by the 'Cats. Sophomore Lindsay Darrell led the way with a pair of caused turnovers.
Marquette tallied the first goal of the game, but their lead was short lived as the 'Cats scored five unanswered to take a 5-1 lead with 16:41 to play in the first half. Junior captain started the scoring to even the game and ended up with a pair of assists to Stroup and Lasota during the run. After the Golden Eagles scored a pair of goals to cut the lead to 5-3 later in the half, Wessels assisted on a goal by classmate Shelby Fredericks and closed the half with her first two goals of the season to give NU a 9-5 lead at the break.
Despite the halftime lead, the Wildcats trailed the draw-control battle, 11-4. Fredericks was able to turn things around in the second half however in helping the 'Cats claim a 14-1 advantage in the final 30 minutes and an 18-12 advantage overall. The sophomore finished the game with nine draw controls to match her career high.
Stroup's second goal of the contest extended the lead back to four, 10-6, after the Golden Eagles opened the second half with a tally from Allison Lane. Marquette was able to cut into the Wildcats' lead with a pair of unanswered goals, but junior Catie Ingrilli found the back of the net for the third time this season and Lasota scored her second of the game to again extend the lead to four, 12-8, with 13:04 to play.
After a Marquette again cut the lead to two on back-to-back goals by Cate Soccodato and Taylor Smith, NU quickly squashed any ideas of a comeback. Craig capped her hat trick and sparked the 'Cats' second 5-0 run of the day just 19 seconds after Smith cut the deficit to two.
Wessels followed with her third goal of the game and Yenor came on the field and scored on the first possession of her career on a dish from Fredericks. Craig dished out her third assist of the game on Wessels' fourth goal and Lasota scored just 11 seconds later to cap the run and give NU a 17-10 lead.
Senior Emily Eichner had a big day on the defensive end with a career-high five ground balls classmate Spring Sanders chipped in with three groundballs and a caused turnover.
Northwestern, which entered the game just 8-for-23 on free-position opportunities through the first four games, went 7-for-12 from the 8-meter line. Wessels was 2-for-2 on the day and Craig finished 2-for-3.
The Wildcats continue their four-game homestand at Lanny and Sharon Martin Stadium on Saturday when they host No. 10 Stony Brook. Opening draw is scheduled for noon.